Witness to West Belfast car crash battled to save man killed in wreck

The wreckage of a car that crashed into the McKinstry roundabout near Twinbrook killing a man

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A witness to a West Belfast car crash that cost a man his life battled to save him from the wreckage, it emerged tonight.

It is understood a motorist who saw the silver car seconds before it smashed into a roundabout at speed, fought to free the man from the vehicle but he was too badly injured to help.

Sources say the car was seen on the McKinstry Road approaching the McKinstry roundabout near Twinbrook. It then drove towards the roundabout at high speed before hitting a grey brick wall on it. The impact was so severe the front of the car was completely destroyed and vehicle thrown back onto the road.

It is understood the driver came across the crash seconds after it happened and tried to help the man in the crashed car.

One source said: “There was a load of smoke coming out of the car and the fella was having problems getting the door open. He had to go back to his car and get a big metal bar he had to get the door open. When he did get into it the smoke made him sick there was so much of it and he had to be treated for smoke inhalation. But there wasn’t much could be done for the fella.”

The car was severely damaged by the impact of the crash

It is understood the vehicle was seen on a road approaching the roundabout seconds before it collided with a grey brick wall on it at considerable speed. Sources say the car flew into the air after hitting the kerb at the edge of the roundabout before hitting the central brick construction. It is believed the man who died was from the Lisburn area.

Roads towards the A512 McKinstry Road roundabout at Twinbrook at the junction with Stewartstown Road were closed for a time earlier today as emergency services attended the scene of the crash.

Sinn Fein MLA Jennifer McCann said people were “shocked and saddened” by the death.

She added: “I would like to express my sympathies to the family and friends of this man. I would also take the opportunity to praise the actions of local people who tried to help the man until emergency services arrived.